Shoulder strap retainer



April l2, 1966 K. SULLIVAN 3,245,086

SHOULDER STRAP RETAINER Filed June 14, 196s 2 sheets-sheet 1 Karyn Sul/l' van l N VE N TOR.

April l2, 1966 K. SULLIVAN 3,245,086

SHOULDER STRAP RETAINER Filed June 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Kathryn Sull/'van l N VEN TOR mm BY my United States Patent O The present invention generally relates to a shoulder strap retainer and more particularly a unique construction for the purpose of holding undergarment straps such as slip and brassiere shoulder straps securely to the shoulder line or seam of an outer garment such as a dress, blouse or the like, thereby preventing such shoulder straps from slipping off of the shoulders of the person employing the present invention.

One of the problems facing persons wearing undergarments having shoulder straps is the tendency of such shoulder straps to slip laterally ofi:` the shoulders due to the normal contour and incline of the shoulder. Some efforts have been made to provide devices to retain the shoulder straps on the shoulder by connecting the shoulder straps with the outer garment where the outer garment engages the shoulder. Such devices incorporate usually cumbersome fasteners such as snap fasteners, safety pins and the like, which are cumbersome and also uncomfortable for the wearer and also have certain other objections, such as being visible from the exterior of the garment, and also tending to cause excessive wear and other deleterious effects to the garment during normal use, laundering and the like. Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a shoulder strap retainer mounted on the shoulder line or seam near the neck line and which incorporates in its construction a pocket forming member having a laterally opening pocket for receiving a rigid extension on the end of a flexible loop forming member, whereby the rigid extension is inserted into the pocket in a direction towards the point of attachment of the loop forming member for retaining the loop forming member looped around the shoulder straps, and at the same time providing a retainer which is quite readily manipulated and yet which is not bulky and is neat in appearance and effective for its particular purposes while yet being fully capable of being laundered, dry cleaned or the like without removing the device from the garment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shoulder strap retainer in which the rigid extension on the flexible loop member is in the form of a plastic member and the loop forming member is in the form of a flexible fabric member and the pocket forming member is in the form of a generally rectangular attaching portion having a pocket defined therein with a slit defining the entrance to the pocket. The pocket forming member may be in the form of a piece of plastic stitched to the garment, a piece of fabric material folded in a particular manner and stitched to the garment, or a piece of fabric material capable of being ironed onto the garment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shoulder strap retainer in which the components mentioned in the preceding paragraphs are constructed in a particular proportion to divide the stress or strain placed on the device by the shoulder straps into an equal pull at several different points, thereby mathematically assuring distribution of the forces and eliminating the tendency of such retainers to become ineffective such as when all of the force is concentrated at one point such as occurs with snap fasteners, hooks or buckles.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide a shoulder strap retainer in accordance with the preceding objects which is not only easy to assemble or attach to the garment but is also easy to manipulate Patented Apr. 12, 1966 ICC and quite neat in appearance, long lasting, durable and yet relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the shoulder strap retainer of the present invention mounted in a garment along the shoulder seam thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the shoulder strap retainer with portions thereof broken away illustrating the construction of the shoulder strap retainer and its relationship to the garment;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded group perspective view of the shoulder strap retainer illustrated in FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4 4 of FIGURE 2 illustrating further structural details of this form of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 5 5 of FIGURE 4 illustrating further details of the relationship between the component parts of the shoulder strap retainer and the garment structure;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another form of the present invention as viewed from the underside thereof;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 6 with the component parts thereof partially disassembled;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal, sectional View taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 8 8 of FIGURE 6 illustrating the structural details of the shoulder strap retainer;

FIGURE 9 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a -plane passing along section line 9 9 of FIGURE 8 illustrating further structural details of this form of the invention;

FIGURE l0 is a perspective view illustrating another form of the present invention in which the attaching por tion thereof is ironed onto the garment, with portions thereof broken away; and

FIGURE ll is a perspective view of the construction of FIGURE l0, with the component parts thereof partially disassembled.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the shoulder strap retainer illustrated in FIGURES 1-5 which is mounted on an outer garment l2 along the shoulder line thereof and in underlying relation to the shoulder seam 14, which has a pair of inner portions 16 formed when the seam 14 is made in a conventional manner. The shoulder strap retainer effectively retains a slip shoulder strap 18 and a brassere shoulder strap 20 in position across the shoulder generally in the desired location. Depending upon the nature of the shoulder portion of the garment 12, the strap retainer 10 of the present invention may be mounted thereon in any desired spatial relationship between the neck line 22 of the garment and lthe seam 24 which attaches the sleeve 26 thereto, or to the outer edge of the garment in the event it is a sleeveless garment. In any event, the orientation of the shoulder strap retainer may be varied depending upon the structural characteristics of the garment but it is attached to the inwardly extending portions 16 thereby eliminating any stitching exposed to the exterior of the garment i2 and completely concealing the shoulder strap retainer 16 from view.

The shoulder strap retainer 10 includes a generally rectangular plate of plastic material 28 which may be of any suitable cellulose plastic resistant to heat and capable of being laundered, dry cleaned or the like without being damaged or destroyed from the heat, water or cleaning solutions. The corners of the attaching plastic member 28 are formed diagonally or rounded as at 30, and the inner end edge of the plastic panel or attaching portion Z8 is provided with a notch 32 as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The plastic attaching portion 2S is also provided with a series of openings 34 in the periphery thereof for receiving stitching 35 which secures the plastic attaching portion 28 to the inturned portions 16 of the garment. The plastic panel 28 is of sufficient rigidity to maintain its shape, but it may be stitched onto the garment by using a sewing machine which is capable of sewing through the plastic attaching portion 28, thereby eliminating the necessity of forming the openings 34.

Attached to the outer end of the plastic attaching portion 28 is an elongated flexible fabric member 36 which is a loop forming member and which is of considerably less width than the plastic attaching portion 28 and is secured thereto by stitching 38. Connected with the outer end of the loop forming member 36 is a generally rigid extension 40 also constructed of plastic material and being bonded to the loop forming member 36 in any suitable manner such as by using a suitable adhesive or other bonding material 42.

When assembling the strap retainer to the garment, it is attached to the inturned portions 16 by virtue of the stitching 35 by using a sewing machine or by hand sewing in an obvious manner. Then when the garment is assembled, the extension 40 is inserted under the shoulder straps 18 and 20 from the exterior thereof and then brought inwardly along the underside of the attaching portion 28, and the extension 40 is inserted longitudinally inwardly from the inner end of the plastic attaching portion 28, which is not connected to the garment and thus forms a pocket for receiving the longitudinal rigid extension 40. Inasmuch as the plastic tip is slipped downward into the slot formed by the plastic attaching portion 28, the loop forming member 36 will be retained in encircling relation to the shoulder straps and will effectively hold the shoulder straps and cannot become dislodged from the shoulder attaching portion 28 since the shoulder straps 1S and 20 will prevent the longitudinal extension 40 from being withdrawn from the area under the attaching portion 28 during normal wearing of the garment. Ho-wever, by grasping the inner end of the loop forming member 36, the extension or tip 40 may be withdrawn manually towards the neck, thus disengaging the tip from the plastic attaching portion and enabling the garment to be disconnected from the shoulder straps.

FIGURES 6-8 illustrate another form of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 50 and which is attached to the garment 12 in the same manner. The reference numerals designating components of the garment are the same as those employed in the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES l-5. The shoulder strap retainer 50 includes a fabric attaching portion 52 having a reverse fold or bend 54 at one end with an outer portion 56 extending from the fold or bend 54. The free end of the outer portion 56 has a reverse fold 58 therein with a partial longitudinal member 60 extending therefrom and terminating in a reverse fold 62. Extending from the reverse fold 62 is a partial outer member 64 terminating in a reverse fold 66 lying alongside of the reverse fold 58 and terminating in an elongated inwardly extending portion 68 which underlies the outer portion 56. This construction is formed by the simple expedient of folding one end of the attaching member about fold line 54 and then about a fold line 62 and then simultaneously about fold lines 58 and 65 in a obvious manner. The other end of the attaching portion 52 is provided with a reverse fold 70 having an outer portion 72, a reverse fold 74, an inner portion 76, a reverse fold 78, a partial inner portion 8l) and a reverse fold, 82 at the inner end CII Cil

thereof terminating in an elongated inner portion 84, all as illustrated in FIGURE 7. The assembly is retained in place by longitudinal rows of stitching 86 which serves to retain the attaching portion 52 in assembled relation and also connected to the inwardly extending portions 16 of the garment. In assembly, the reverse folds 66 and 74 are disposed adjacent to each other but slightly spaced to form an entrance slit 88 into a pocket formed between the attaching portion 52 and the inner portion 68. The pocket is formed by the stitching 86 which extends through the portion 16 of the garment and through portions 52, 56, 68, 72, 76, and 84 and members 60 and 64 of the retainer 50 as illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 9.

An elongated flexible loop forming member 90 is attached to the inner surface of the attaching portion 52 and extends along a substantial portion of the length thereof as illustrated in FIGURE 8, with suitable stitching being provided for securing the exible loop forming member 90 in place. The end of the loop forming member 90 is provided wtih a plastic tip 92 of rigid construction secured thereto in any suitable manner, and this tip is slid longitudinally into the pocket with the free end thereof disposed towards the outer edge of the attaching portion 52, as illustrated in FIGURE 8. The attaching portion as well as the loop forming member may be constructed of any suitable fabric especially delicate fabric such as silk, nylon ribbon or any other feasible material, and is especially constructed for garments constructed of similar materials.

FIGURES 10 and 11 illustrate another form of the invention designated generally by the numeral and which includes an attaching portion or panel 102 provided with an adhesive backing 104 of a material that is actuated upon application of heat from an iron, thereby forming an iron-on form of the invention which also may be secured in place by peripheral stitching 106 if desired. Connected to the attaching portion 102 is a fabric panel 108 having a reverse fold 110 at one end thereof forming a short tab 112 with the reverse fold 110 being spaced inwardly from one end of the attaching portion 102. The other end of the member 108 is provided with a reverse fold 114, an inner panel 116 terminating in a reverse fold 118 which extends into an outer panel 120 overlying the inner panel 116, and a reverse fold 122 at the outer end of the panel forms an inner member 124 which is disposed against the inner surface of the panel 108 as illustrated in FIGURE 10, thus forming a reinforcement for the open end of the pocket into which the plastic tip 126 of a fiexible loop forming member 128 is inserted. The liexible loop forming member has the other end thereof extending under the tab 112 and secured thereto by suitable stitching 130.

The loop forming members may be of single thickness material or may be of double thickness material stitched along one edge or the center thereof to provide sufficient wearability while maintaining flexibility of the loop forming member. In each instance, the outer end of the loop forming member is provided with a rigid extension in the form of a plastic tip secured thereto in any suitable manner such as by adhesive bonding, stitching or the like. Also, the opposite end or attached end of the loop forming member is connected to the attaching portion of the shoulder strap retainer by any suitable stitching procedure. In each instance, the slit-like opening for receiving the plastic tip of the loop is disposed adjacent the inner edge of the retainer for ease of accessibility thereto by the fingers of a person employing the device. Also, the edge of the slot or slit is easily identified by the feel of the fingertips due to the edge of the plastic member in FIGURE l and the thickened edge formed by the reverse folds in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 6-11. The plastic tip may actually be folded over or around the outer end of the flexible loop and fused together. The iiexible loop may be folded along its longitudinal center and stitched in an obvious manner. Under certain cinV cumstances, the plastic tips may also be constructed of a rustproof and corrosion resistant metallic material sufcient-ly rigid while still liexible and having the quality to spring back to normal shape. Also, the strap stay or retainer of the present invention may be effectively employed for childrens as well as adults clothing, especially since children are quite active and shoulder straps of slips or petticoats quite often slip off the shoulders.

In actual use of the present invention, the device is worn and the wearer is completely unmindful of its presence. Also, the wearer is generally unable to see or observe the operation and the construction of the present invention enables the device to be quite easily manipulated by touch or feel.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and oper-ation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A shoulder strap retainer comprising an attaching portion in the form of a panel of relatively inflexible material adapted to be attached to the interior of the shoulder portion of an outer garment, a loop forming member of relatively exible material extending from the outer end of said attaching portion, said loop forming member having a tip end of 4substantial length and formed of relatively inflexible material, the inner end portion of said attaching portion when attached to the garment dening with the garment a pocket formed longitudinally thereof and an entrance at the inner end thereof for said tip of the loop forming member whereby the tip of the loop forming member may be easily inserted into the entrance to the pocket towards the outer end of the attaching portion and is retained therein due to said substantial length thereby retaining the loop for-ming member in loop condition around undergarment shoulder straps.

2. The structure as dened in claim 1 wherein said attaching portion is in the form of a substantially rigid plastic member with the inner end of the plastic member adapted to be free of the garment for forming an entrance to said pocket.

3. A shoulder strap retainer comprising an attaching portion in the Vform lof a main panel adapted to be attached to the interior of the shoulder portion of an outer garment, a flexible loop forming member extending from the outer end of said attaching portion, said loopk forming member having a rigid tip end of substantial length, the inner end portion of said attaching portion having means for deining a pocket thereon, an entrance at the inner end of said pocket for said rigid tip of said loop forming member whereby the tip of the loop forming member may be easily inserted into the entrance to the pocket toward the outer end of the attaching portion thereby retaining the loop forming member in looped .condition around undergarment shoulder straps, said attaching portion being in the form of a stiff iron-on member having a secondary panel attached to the front surface thereof, the inner end edge of said secondary panel being free orf the iron-on member thereby forming said pocket entrance for reception of the tip.

4. A shoulder strip retainer comprising an attaching portion in the form of a panel adapted to be attached to the interior of the shoulder portion of an outer garment, a flexible loop forming member extending from the outer end of said attaching portion, said loop form.- ing member having a rigid tip end of substanti-al length, the inner end portion of said attaching portion having means connected thereto for defining a pocket thereon, an entrance at the inner end of said pocket for said rigid tip tof said lip forming member whereby the tip of the loop forming member may be easily inserted into the entrance to the pocket toward the outer end of the attaching portion thereby retaining the loop forming member in looped condition around undergarment shoulder straps, said attaching portion being in the form of a fabric member having an attaching panel and a reversely folded portion connected to said attaching panel thereby forming said pocket opening towards the inner end of the attaching portion for receiving the tip.

5. The structure as delined in claim 1 where-in the entrance to the pocket for receiving the inexible Itip end is provided with finger guiding edge means for assisting in insertion of the rigid tip into the pocket thereby enabling assembly of the retaining strap without observation thereof.

6. A shoulder strap retainer comprising an attaching panel adapted to be connected to the shoulder seam -area of an outer garment, a flexible -loop forming member of slightly greater length than the attaching panel being connected to one end thereof, the other end of the attaching panel having means connected thereto for delining a pocket, said pocket having an entrance the free end of the flexible member having a rigid elongated tip for insertion into said pocket toward said one end of the attaching panel thereby securing the lexible member in encircling relation under the shoulder strap of an undergarment, said entrance to said pocket including a double thickness of fabric material enabling easy feel thereof.

7. A shoulder strap retainer comprising an attaching panel adapted to be connected to the shoulder seam area of an outer garment, a exi-ble loop forming member of slightly greater length than the attaching panel being connected to one end thereof, the outer end of the attaching panel having means connected thereto for defining `a pocket, the free end of the liexible member having a rigid elongated tip Ifor insertion into said pocket means toward said one end of the attaching panel thereby securing the flexible member in encircling relation under the shoulder strap of an undergarment, said attaching portion being constructed of substantially rigid plastic having a free finger guiding inner edge means forming an entrance to the pocket means Ifor enabling insertion of the rigid tip without observation.

8. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein the inner end of said plastic attaching panel is provided with a notch with tapering sides for guiding the elongated rigid tip of the flexible member into the pocket means.

9. In combination with a garment having a shoulder engaging portion, a retainer adapted to receive an undergarment shoulder strap, said retainer comprising a panel attached to the undersurf-ace of the shoulder engaging portion of the garment, a loop forming member attached to one end of said panel, said loop Iforming member being longer than the panel and including a rigid tip end, said panel including means associated with the end thereof opposite from the point of attachment of the loop forming member detining pocket means opening longitudinally outwardly of the panel for receiving the rigid tip of the loop forming member when it is inserted longitudinally inwardly from a point spaced longitudinally from the end of the panel remote from the point of attachment of the loop forming member with the panel, the length of the loop forming member being greater than the length of the panel to enable the rigid tip of the loop forming member to be orientated in longitudinal alignment with the panel when inserting the rigid tip longitudinally into the pocket, said loop forming member adapted to extend under the shoulder strap of the undergarment thereby retaining the shoulder strap under the shoulder engaging portion of said garment.

10. The combination as dened in claim 9 wherein said panel is in the form of a plastic member having a notch in the end thereotf remote from the end having the loop forming member attached thereto, said plastic panel being secured to the inner surface of the shoulder engaging portion of the garment with the -notched end thereof being free of the garment thereby defining a pocket having an entrance facing longitudinally of the panel, said rigid tip of the loop forming member being relatively at and of substantial length whereby lateral exertion on the loop forming member after the tip has been inserted under the plastic panel will not pull the tip out of the pocket in which it is inserted.

11. The combination as defined -in claim 9 wherein said panel is in the form of a fabric member having an attaching portion andv a reversely folded portion thereon, with the reversely folded portion forming said pocket opening towards the end of `the attaching portion remote from the point of attachment of the loop forming member.

12. A retainer for securing an article in place comprising a generally rectangular panel adapted to be attached in closely spaced relation to a supporting surface, means engaging a major portion of the periphery of the panel for `connecting the panel to a supporting surface a minor portion of the periphery of the panel being free of said means, a flexible loop forming member having one end attached to said panel opposite from said minor portion, a rigid tip connected with and forming an extens-ion of the other end of said flexible loop forming member, the length of said exible loop forming member being greater than the distance between the point of attachment of the lopo forming member and said minor portion, said rigid tip being relatively th-in for longitudinal insertion of the free end thereof inwardly under the panel at said minor portion toward the center of the panel whereby lthe tip is adapted to be retained between thel panel Iand supporting surface when an article exerts a force lateral to the plane of the panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,979,508 11/1934 Van den Bel 2430.5 2,135,020 11/1938 Young 2--107 2,823,384 2/1958 Eilertsen 2-2 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner. 

1. A SHOULDER STRAP RETAINER COMPRISING AN ATTACHING PORTION IN THE FORM OF A PANEL OF RELATIVELY INFLEXIBLE MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO THE INTERIOR OF THE SHOULDER PORTION OF AN OUTER GARMENT, A LOOP FORMING MEMBER OF RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE MATERIAL EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER END OF SAID ATTACHING PORTION, SAID LOOP FORMING MEMBER HAVING A TIP END OF SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH AND FORMED OF RELATIVELY INFLEXIBLE MATERIAL, THE INNER END PORTION OF SAID ATTACHING PORTION WHEN ATTACHED TO THE GARMENT DEFINING WITH THE GARMENT A POCKET FORMED LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF AND AN ENTRANCE AT THE INNER END THEREOF FOR SAID TIP OF THE LOOP FORMING MEMBER WHEREBY THE TIP OF THE LOOP FORMING MEMBER MAY BE EASILY INSERTED INTO THE ENTRANCE OF THE POCKET TOWARDS THE OUTER END OF THE ATTACHING PORTION AND IS RETAINED THEREIN DUE TO SAID SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH THEREBY RETAINING THE LOOP FORMING MEMBER IN LOOP CONDITION AROUND UNDERGARMENT SHOULDER STRAPS. 